Well flow control apparatus and system



April 30, 1957 H. u. GARRETT ET AL WELL FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS ANDSYSTEM Filed March 9, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l .lllllviJ Henry U. Gar/e f1INVENTORS ATTOR/Vt'VJ April 30, 1957 H. u. GARRETT EI'AL 2,790,395

WELL FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS AND SYSTEM Filed March 9, 1954 5 shets-sneet2 Henry U. arr e f f C/lffO/O'M Pefe/J Robe/'2 l V. 0/00/09 I INVENTORSBY 70 7 g r ATTORNEYS April 30, 1957 H. u. GARRETT ETAL 2,790,395

WELL FLOW CONTROL. APPARATUS AND SYSTEM Filed March 9, 1954 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Henry M Garret! Chffora M Pei-ersfiaberz 14/. 5/00/07INVENTORS I M BY M ATTORNEYS Ap 1957 H. u. GARRETT EI'AL 2,790,395

WELL FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS AND SYSTEM Filed March 9, 1954 5Sheets-Sheet 4 AITORNE KS April 30, 1957 H. u. GARRETT ET AL 2,790,395

WELL. FLOW CONTROL. APPARATUS AND SYSTEM Filed March 9, 1954 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Henry M Gar/"eff C/fffora M. Pefers ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 071cc WELL FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS AND SYSTEM Henry U.Garrett and Clilford M. Peters, Longview, and Robert W. Dinning,Kilgore, Tern, assignors, by assignments, to U. S. Industries, Inc., acorporation of Delaware Application March 9, 1954, Serial No. 414,924

28 Claims. (Cl. 103-233) This invention relates to an apparatus andsystem for controlling flow into or out of a well conduit wherein avalve for controlling such flow is landed at any one of a number ofpredetermined levels in the well and removed therefrom by wire lineoperation without pulling the conduit from the well. In one of itsaspects, this invention relates to an improved mandrel assembly and alsoto an improved latching means for releasably securing a control valve inthe mandrel assembly.

Until recently, it has been the conventional practice in the productionof a well by gas lift procedures to install the gas lift valvesexteriorly on mandrels which are made up in and spaced along the lengthof the well tubing. According to such practice, each time it was desiredto change or repair one of the gas lift valves, it was necessary to pulland rerun the tubing. Such an operation was not only expensive and timeconsuming but frequently involved the hazard of decreasing or evendestroying the productive capacity of the well. Specifically, some ofthe disadvantages attendant upon pulling and rerunning a tubing are: (1)Many wells must be killed with mud or water before the tubing can bepulled. This is necessary to balance out the formation pressure with thehydrostatic head of fluid in the well in order to prevent flow from theformation out of the well. With such procedure, there is always presentconsiderable danger that such water and particularly mud will flow intothe producing formation and seal it against further flow of productiontherefrom when the well is later unloaded. Also, the water or mud maycause cave-ins or other formation faults to develop which maynecessitate reworking or even abandonment of the well; (2) To pull thetubing, a pulling rig must be brought in and set up at the well head.This is expensive both in overhead and investment costs; (3) Frequently,the usual well head producing equipment must be removed and blowoutpreventers inf stalled. This is not only costly but involves a certainamount of danger because the well is open during such installation; (4)After tubing has been in place for any length of time, it is consideredgood practice to replace the old packer with a new one to assure properpacking; and (5) Pulling of the tubing necessarily is time consuming andinvolves the services of several workers.

To eliminate or at least minimize these and other disadvantages arisingfrom the pulling and rerunning of tubing, there has recently beendeveloped a permanent type completion. In general, such type ofcompletion involves running of the tubing into the well and setting apacker above the topmost formation which is to be tested or produced.This tubing is permitted to remain permanently in the well thereafterand various perforating, cementing and other completion or productionoperations are carried out by various tools lowered into the well by awire line. This avoids removal of the tubing and enables wire lineoperations to perform essentially all operations which were formerlyperformed by removal and rerunning of the tubing.

Even though it has always been desirable to avoid 2,790,395 PatentedApr. 30, 1957 pulling the tubing in order to install or change gas liftor other flow control valves, the permanent type of completion discussedabove makes this even more desirable. Thus, the installation of suchflow control valves in a customary manner, as by screwing into a mandrelon the exterior thereof, would greatly detract from the advantages ofthe permanent type completion because it would then still be necessaryto pull the tubing to install or change such valves. Accordingly, theprovision of a system and of satisfactory apparatus for use thereinpermitting wire line installation of such valves without pulling thetubing and without upsetting well conditions is highly desirable.

Also, in the past, considerable trouble has been experienced withmandrel failure due to corrosion. The mandrels are installed as a partof the production tubing and must bear the weight of the tubingsuspended below each individual mandrel. In the construction of themandrels, it has ordinarily been necessary, at least from a practicalviewpoint, to perform certain welding operation on the mandrel body..This welding causes internal,

stresses to develop in the mandrel body which reduce its ability tosatisfactorily withstand the stresses imposed by the weight of thetubing string. Further, the heat of the welding process convertsportions of the mandrel body nearest the welds into a type of metaldifferent from that of other portions of the body heated to a differentextent, if at all. This difference in metals causes galvanic corrosionto develop which further weakens the mandrel body. As a result of theinternal stresses caused by the welding and the propensity of the bodyto corrode, mandrel failures caused by either perforation of the mandrelbody or its complete severance in two have not been infrequent. In fact,one major producing company has reported that of all the failures in itsdown-hole equipment, more than percent have been mandrel failures.Obviously, failure of a mandrel to an extent that it pulls in tworesults in an expensive fishing job to recover the portion of the wellstring which has dropped into the hole and, in the event that suchfishing is unsuccessful, the entire well must be abandoned. Accordingly,the risk of mandrel failure implies much more than mere replacement ofthe mandrel because it can result in the spending of many thousands ofdollars replacing the well in operation or even its complete loss.

In accordance with the foregoing, it is an object of this invention toprovide a flow control apparatus and system for wells which alfords aminimum tendency for corrosion of parts stressed by the weight of thewell conduit, which is relatively simple in construction and operation,and which can be easily manipulated by conventional wire line tools.

Another object of this invention, is to provide a flow control apparatusand system for wells in which a mandrel or housing assembly is providedto be made up as a part of a well conduit and to receive a wire lineflow control valve assembly therein, such mandrel or housing assemblybeing arranged so that welding need not be employed in fabricating anyparts thereof which are to be stressed by the weight of the well conduitsuspended therefrom whereby the tendency of such stressed parts tocorrode is reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and system wherein a mandrelor landing device and a flow control valve assembly are so constructedand arranged that any number of such mandrels can be installed in a welland one of such valves landed in any mandrel at the operators selection,there being provided an improved latching mechanism for selectively andreleasably securingthe valve assembly in the selected mandrel throughmanipulation of the valve assembly by conventional wire line tools.

Another'object is 'to provide an apparatus and system for controllingflow of fluid into orout of'a well conduit, including a flow controlvalve assembly which can be landed in a mandrel or housing assembly bywire line operation, the mandrel or housing assembly including a valvemember adapted to open and close a flow passage providing communicationbetween the interior and exterior of the mandrel or housing body wherebyupon removal of the flow control valve assembly, such communication canbe closed off; the valve member also providing therein a bypasspassageway permitting flow of fluid through the mandrel-assembly with aflow control valve assembly landed therein, and thence up through thewell conduit. i

Another object is to provide such, anapparatus and system wherein acrossover device is shiftably mounted in the conduit to control'flowthrough lateral ports in the conduit and also providing'abypassfpassageway therein permitting flow up the Well conduit when aflow control valve is landed in the crossover device whereby the wellconduit can be constructed without necessarily resorting to welding ofstressed pants thereof so as to thereby reduce the tendency of suchparts to corrode.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus and system including amandrel assembly having a valve member therein shiftable to open andclose a lateral flow port in the mandrel assembly upon landing andremoving a flow control valve assembly therefrom, the flow control valveassembly including parts of a latching mechanism for releasably andselectively retaining the flow control valve in the mandrel assembly andwherein such parts are arranged so that they can be connected to aconventional gas lift valve with a minimum of or even no modification ofthe valve itself whereby conventional gas lift valves are easilyinterchangeable on the latching mechanism.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and system for controllingflow into and out of the well conduit in which a wire line flow controlvalve and mandrel assernbly is provided with an improved latchingmechanism for releasably securing the valve in the mandrel, the latchingmechanism being actuated to be placed in latching position merely byexerting a force in one direction on a part thereof whereby a simpleupward pull on the wire line, for example, positively locks the controlvalve in the mandrel.

Another object is to provide an improved latching mechanism forreleasably securing a wire line flow control valve in a mandrel in awell, the mechanism being actuated to be placed in latching position bya first up ward pull on a wire line and also being released fromlatching position bya second upward pull on the wire line of greaterforce than the first pull, the latching mechanism being essentiallyself-contained and not requiring special wire line tools to either latchor unlatch the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system for controllingflow of fluid into or out of a well conduit wherein a plurality ofmandrels are spaced along the well conduit and wherein a given flowcontrol valve can be landed in any one of such mandrels to control fluidflow into or out of the conduit, each mandrel including a crossoverdevice shiftably mounted therein and adapted to receive a flow controlvalve assembly therein or to permit the same to pass therethrough, asdesired, the shiftable crossover device providing therein a bypasspassageway around the flow control valve landed therein to permit wellfluids to flow up the well conduit and also providing another passagewayconfining flow into or out of the conduit to be through the flow controlvalve, the two passageways being separate.

Other objects, advantages'and features of this invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the writtenspecification, the appended claims, and the attached drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an illustration showing a well having an em- I 4 bodiment ofthe apparatus of this invention installed therein;

Figs. 2A and 2B together constitute an enlarged view of a preferredembodiment of the apparatus of this invention including a gas lift valveassembly just after it has been positioned in a mandrel assembly butbefore it has been manipulated to latch it in position and to open themandrel assembly for flow between the interior and exterior thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2B except it illustrates the positionof the parts after the gas lift valve has been latched in position andthe mandrel assembly opened for flow;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a preferred form of the latching mechanismand adjacent parts of the flow valve and mandrel assembly of thisinvention showing the latching mechanism in position to be extended tolatching position;

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 except that it shows. the latching mechanismafter it has beenreleased to permit the gas lift valve to be pulled fromthe well;

Figs; 6, 7 and 8 are views taken on the lines 6-6,

7-7 and 8-8 of Figs. 2B and 3; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a spring employed to detain the crossoverdevice in a preselected position.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the several views todesignate like parts.

In accordance with this invention, a plurality of mandrel assemblies 10are made up as a part of a well conduit, such as tubing string 11, atthe time the tubing is run into the well. The number and placement ofthese mandrel assemblies in the tubing string is dependent upon theanticipated spacing requirements for gas lift production of theparticular well and preferably a sufficient number are made up in thetubing string to allow considerable flexibility and latitude in thespacing of gas lift valves to be landed in the mandrel assemblieswithout having to pull and rerun the tubing to add new mandrelassemblies at different spacing locations.

Thus, in the permanent type completion, sufficient mandrel assembliesare made up in the tubing string to meet spacing requirements which areanticipated throughout the life of the well. The tubing is then set witha packer 11a above the topmost formation. to be tested or produced andthe well completed in a normal manner.

Each of the mandrel assemblies is provided with a passageway affordingfluid communication between the interior and exterior of the tubing andsuch passageway is closed by a valve member until the flow or gas liftvalve is landed in the mandrel at which time the valve member is movedto open position so that the landed valve can control flow through thepassageway. Thus, mandrel assemblies 10 normally prevent fluidcommunication be tween the tubing interior and the tubing-casing annulusexcept when a flow control valve is positioned therein or when otherwisepurposely opened to permit certain well operations to be conducted; Themandrel assemblies are so constructed, as will be made more apparenthereinafter, that when it is desired'to gas lift thewell, a wire lineflow control valve assembly 12 canbe lowered through any number ofmandrel assemblies and lauded by a wire line 13 having a pulling orrunning tool 14 connecting the wire line to valve assembly 12. The valvecan he landed in a selected mandrel assembly irrespective of where it issituated in the well. Also, a plurality of valves can be landed in acorresponding number of mandrel assemblies so that the tubing-casingannulus can be U- tubed or dumped to remove fluid therefrom. Then, uponpassing lifting gas through the tubing-casing annulus 15, such gas canbe injected into the tubing under control of one or more of the gas liftvalves landed in mandrel assemblies 10. Since usually only one valve isemployed as a working valve to inject gas into the tubing, all other ordumping valves can be removed from the tubing therebyeliminating thenecessity for leaving a plurality ofvalves in the well where .they arenot only subject to failure but increase the investment in the well.Also, any valve so landed can be removed as desired and either landed inanother mandrel at a different depth or replaced by a .valve havingdifferent control characteristics. Even further, all valves can beremoved and the well surveyed, reworked or treated after whichthe'jvalve or valves can be again landed in the well. Thus, thepermanent type completion is not disturbed and the gas lift valves areinstalled only in a desired number and at the time required.

While particular reference has been made herein to the permanent typecompletion, it will be apparent that this invention has great utility inanywell because it eliminates the necessity' for pulling tubing .nomatter how the well is completed.

Turning now to a specificv description of a preferred embodiment oftheinvention as shown. in the drawings, mandrel assembly includes a mandrelbody or housing 16 provided with a lateral flow passageway-or port 17 inone wall thereof permitting fluid communication between the interior andexterior of the mandrel assembly.

can'comprise one or more U-blade springs 33 received in a recess insleeve 18 and having'a portion 35 adapted to alternately engage grooves36 and 37 when the sleeve is shifted from one of its positions toanother. In this manner, the sleeve can be shifted positively from oneposition to another and when it reaches such position, it will hestopped by engagement of the stop parts and then retained in suchposition by spring 33 engaging one of grooves 36 and 37 until a positiveforce is applied to move the sleeve to the other position.

To prevent foreign matter from accumulating in spring space 34, a seal38 can be provided to act with sealing The assembly includes a valvemember or sleeve 18 which 7 is shiftableto open and close passageway 17.A flow control valveassembly 12 is adapted to be passed through or tobelan'ded in the mandrel assembly, as desired, by the wire line13, andupon being so landed, valve member 18 is moved to'open position toestablish communication between passageway 17 and a port in the controlvalve assembly 12 so that fluid flowing into or out of passageway 17 canbe controlled by the control valve thereby controlling the injectionoffluid into the tubing or into the casing as the case may be. Uponremoval of control valve assembly '12 from themandrel assembly, valvemember 18 is moved to closed position thereby preventing further flow offluid through the passageway. in this manner, flow of fluid into or outof the tubing is always controlled by a control valve adapted to belanded by wire line operation and such flow is blocked whenever thecontrol valve is removed. I

Referring first to the mandrel assembly 10, housing or mandrel body 16is threaded at its ends as at 19 and 20 for connection with the tubingstring, such as by swedges 21.

Means are provided in mandrel body 16 for inse'rtably receiving orpassing therethrough, as desired, a flow control valve assembly 12 orother desired tool. In this instance, such means include sleeve 18 whichis constructed to function as a crossover device. As shown in thedrawings, the crossover device is formed of an outer sleeve 22 slidablymounted in a bore 23 of mandrelbody 16. An inner sleeve 24 is carried bythe outer sleeve by means of a web or spar 25. Web 25 extends onlypartially around the annulus between the inner and outer sleeves so thatthere is provided an annular bypass port 17 when the sleeve is in one ofits shifted positions (Fig. 3). Outer sleeve 22 has an imperforateportion 28 positioned so that when sleeve 18 is shifted to a secondposition, the imperforate portion is disposed across port 17 toblockflow therethrough (Fig. 2B). Sealing means, such as chevron packing 29,can be disposed to either side of port 17 to effect a sliding sealbetween the mandrel body and the sleeve. Stop parts are provided tolimit movement of the sleeve to be between its open and closed positionsand can comprise a ring 30 having an inwardly projecting shoulder 31 andanother shoulder 32 on the mandrel body, each adapted to respectivelyabut opposite ends of sleeve 18.

In order to positively maintain the sleeve in either one of its twopositions, releasable detent means are provided between the sleeve andthe mandrel body. Such means means 29 to isolate this space from wellfluids.

As part of the receiving means for flow control valve 12, a tubularextension 40 of inner sleeve 24 can be pro-.

vided to be a part ofa latching mechanism for securing the flow controlvalve'assembly within the mandrel. It,

will be noted that extension 40 is spaced from the inner wall ofmandrelbody- 16 to provide an extension 26a of the bypass passage.

In constructing the mandrel assembly, it is preferable that the minimuminside diameter of sleeve 18, or, in other words, the minimum insidediameter of inner sleeve 24 and extension 40, be approximately at leastas great as the. inside diameter of the well tubing. This permitsordinarywire line tools which will pass through the tubing to also passthrough the mandrel assembly without interference. therewith. Also, thecross-sectional area of bypass passageway 26 and extension 26a ispreferably made at least as large as that of the tubing so that with aflow controlvalve landed in the mandrel assembly, well fluids can stillflow up the well and through passageway 26 and extension 26a withrelatively little restriction.

It should also be noted that the mandrel assembly is constructed andarranged so that it provides a central bore through which a wire linetool or a flow controlvalve assembly can pass in order to be lowered toa position entirely below the mandrel assembly. Thus, the sleeve andextension40 thereof are, in the preferred embodiment, generally annularin shape with their internal or central bore substantially coaxiallyaligned with that of the tubing so that a wire line tool or a flowcontrol valve assembly can be lowered straight down through the tubinginto the mandrel assembly.

The flow control valve assembly includes generally a flow control valve41 and parts for an essentially self contained latching mechanism 42.The flow control valve can be of any type known to those skilled in theart, such as, for example, those shown in United States Letters PatentNos. 2,519,242, 2,620,740 and 2,620,741. The valve mechanism shown inthe drawings includes a pressure dome 43 adapted to be charged with theresilient fluid and a back-up'liquid, if desired. A bellows 43a has oneend connected to the valve housing 41a and a movable end connected tovalve stem 44. One side of the bellows is exposed to the pressure withindome 43 and the other to the pressure of the casing via passageway 45and ports 46, which in this case constitutes inlet ports. The valve stemcarries a valve element 47 adapted to seat upon seat 48 so as to controlflow between inlet ports 46 and outlet port 49.

With this arrangement, it will be apparent that when the casing pressurebecomes sufficiently great relative to the charge pressure in dome 43,valve member 47 will be unseated so that fluid from the casing can flowthrough ports 46, seat 48, and outlet port 49 to be discharged through acheck valve, designated generally bythe numeral 50, into the tubing. Thedischarge fluid can then pass,along with any well fluid in the tubing,upwardly through bypass passageway extension 26a and passageway 26 tothe upper end of the mandrel assembly'and thence upwardly through thetubing.

Ports 46 are so located in the flow control valve housing that when thelatter is landed properly in the mandrel assembly, the ports are influid communication with ports 27in sleeve. 18. Sealingmeans,:.such;as,O-ringsr5.1; are disposed to either side of ports 46'tQeEectia-sealwi h' amass-e a, .z '71!) :..l. Twopositionreleasabledetent means are providedto prevent relative-longitudinal movement between latch the mandrel assembly and forreleasably, securing ,the

56 and having one end biased outwardly by a spring 57.

to present an abutment surface 58 which, when extended, engages ashoulder 59 on extension 40. Upon such abutment and applying an upwardforce to the wire line connected to flow control valve 41, thesleevewill'be moved from open to closed position. Dog 55 is pivoted tohousing part 56 by means of a shear pin .60.so that it is free to haveits abutting surface 58 urged outwardly by spring 57 and yet to be movedinwardly when any obstruction is encountered while lowering the controlvalve assembly into the well. It will thus be apparent that as .thecontrol valve assembly is lowered through theftubing, dog 55 can rideagainst the tubing but.when properly positioned within sleeve 18,-itwill engage shoulder 59. and limit upward movement of the control valvewith respect to the sleeve as shown in Fig. 2B. Since it may happen thatthe valve assembly will be lowered so that dog 55 is positioned belowextension 40, thelower end of the latter is formed with a chamferedportion 61 which moves dog 55 inwardly as the valve assembly is movedupward.

Another dog 62 is provided as a part of the latching mechanism and ispivotally connected to a reduced diameter portion 63a of latch supportpart 63 as by extending one end of the dog within a space 64 formed by adepending lip 65 and maintaining it therein by a ring 66 engaging agroove 67 in the dog. Dog 62 is urged outwardly, as by spring 68, topresent an abutment surface 69 for engagement with a shoulder 70 onextension 40, as shown in Fig. 3. With this construction, dog 62 canpivot on latch support portion 63a to swing abutment surface 69 inwardlyand outwardly of the latch support part. With the dog in its extendedposition, it will be clear that upon downward movement of the controlvalve assembly, sleeve 18 will be moved from closed to open position.

Means are provided for maintaining dog 62 in retracted position toprevent it from engaging any shoulders or other obstructions in thetubing during downward travel of the flow valve assembly and to releasethis dog after dog 55 has engaged shoulder 59 thereby ensuring that theflow valve assembly is properly positioned within the mandrel assembly.Such means can be provided by making latch housing part 56 in the formof a sleeve and slidable longitudinally on reduced diameter portion 63aof latch support part 63; part 56 here being illustrated as comprisingtwo portions, 56a and 73, which facilitates assembly. The movable end ofdog 62 is provided with an extension 71 adapted to be inserted, when thedog is to be retained in retracted position, in a socket 72 in aretainer or lock part 73 carried by latch housing part 56. A largerdiameter socket 74 is provided adjacent socket 72 so that upon relativemovement apart of lock part 73 and extension 71 of dog 62, the extensionmoves outwardly into socket 74 under the influence of spring 68 so as toposition surface 69 for abutment with shoulder 70. Thus, upon dog 55engaging shoulder 59 and upon assembly through the ,well conduit.

body parts 56 and 63'unti l a predetermined force has been exerted toefiect ;su c h ,movement. Such detent means be provided byextendingreduced diameter portion 63:; of the latchsppport part 63,to beconnected with check valve housing 75 which has a portion 76 telescopingwith inner portion 77 of latch housing part 56a. Portion 76 is formedwith longitudinally spaced annular ,grooves,78, and 79;and a springmeans, suchas Q-ring 80, is c arrigd hyjn er portion 77 of latch housingpart 56 to releasably engage these grooves.

With thisponstruptiom and with latch housing part 56 positionedso;that,ring-80 engages groove 78, extension 71 of dog 62 willhe ma.intained in socket 72 .as the valve assembly islowered ,intoithe wellthereby preventing abutment surface 69 from engaging any shoulders, orother obstructions during thedownward movement of the As soon as thevalve assembly has been passed through a desired number of mandrels tothe preselected mandrel into which it is to be landed, upwardmovement.of, the valve assembly will cause dog, 55 to 'engageshoulder 59. Acontinued upward pull on head #24 by the wire line will cause latchsupporgpart63,:andtelcoping portion 76 of check valve housing ,to,moyeupwardly relative to latch housing P w ichis-rr yen edy ro n m v g y dogh i ne fi lislhus moved fr groove to groove .d .fiZ-isl kcw se mqv dnpwy relative to locking or retaining part 73 to permit extension 71 of dog62 to be released ,f ron socket 72. As a result, spring 68 is free tomove, the dogoutwardlyjo permit it to engage n d -.not. 1

.;Since cro s s ove r; device or sleeve 18 is in closed position whenfirst engaged by ,dog 55,- it remains in such position during therelease of dog 62. Then, after dog 62 is released, the tapplication of,a downward force to the flow valve assembly, asjbyjarring, causes thesleeve to move to open position. .Upon movement of the sleeve to openposition, a lower end thereof engages shoulder 32 to stop suchmovementand, at the same time, spring 33 engages groove35 to retain thesleeve in open position. The wire line can then be disengaged from head42a and removed from thejwell.,

When his desired to remove ,the flow valve assembly from the well,a wireline carrying a pulling tool is run into the tubing and engagedwith head42a of the flow valve assembly. Upon an upward pull being exerted by thewire.line,= ,the valve. assembly .and sleeve 18 are moved upwardly anddog 55 remains in engagement with shoulder 59 during such movement. Whenthe sleeve reaches closed position, the upper end of the sleeve engagesshoulder 3 l,and spring 33, engages groove 37. A continued upward pullonthe .wire line of increased force causes pin 60'to, shear, therebypermitting spring a, which is maintained in alignmentby guide 81, tourge dog 55 downwardly into recess 82,- thereby effectively retractingthisjdogi (Fig. 5),.- ;The flow valve assembly can thenbe removed :fromthe :well, dog 62 remaining in extended position but being retractablewhenever it meets an obstruction in the well tubing.

The spring 33 comprising, the detent for maintaining sleeve 18 in apreselected position should be of suflicient strength so that uponengagement with one of grooves 36 or 37, it will retain crossover device.18 an d any flow valve assembly landed therein in the preselectedposition even though flow of fluid through the well or through the valveassembly creates 'a pressure difierential tending to move the device toits other position, Also, since an upward pull on'th'e wire line is tonot only move the crossover dviceto" closed position but also to shearpin 60 to retract dog 55, pin 60 should be of such size as to requireconsiderably greater force for shearing than is required to move thecrossover device to closed position. For example, pin 60 may besufl'lcient-ly large as to require doubling the force on the wire lineto shear the same as compared with the force required to move thecrossover device to closed position. This will assure that the crossoverdevice will always be moved to closed position before dog 55 isretracted.

In further regard to the resistance of pin 60 to shearing, the forcerequired to shear should be substantially greater than that required tomove latch housing part 56 when releasing dog 62 so that the dog canalways be released without substantial risk of shearing pin 60.

It will be noted that mandrel body 16 can comprise a length of tubing,threaded at each end, and machined to provide the necessary grooves andlateral openings therein. Such operations require no welding at all butonly simple machining procedures. The lack of welding on the mandrelbody during its fabrication avoids corrosion which normally occurs atwelds exposed to well fluids. Thus, the mandrel body which supports thetubing therebelow and hence is the stressed portion of the mandrelassembly, becomes essentially another part of tubing insofar as stresscharacteristics are concerned. Sleeve 18, since it is not stressed bythe weight of the well tubing, can be fabricated by welding if desired.However, it is preferred that it be cast and then finish machined. Thecasting method of fabrication is quite satisfactory since the crossoverdevice is not stressed by the weight of the well tubing whereas,obviously, casting of mandrel body 16 would not be feasible.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth,together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of theclaims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1. An apparatusadapted for wire line operation and for use in controlling flow of fluidinto or out of a well conduit which comprises, in combination, a housingadapted to be connected as a part of the well conduit and having a wallwith an opening therethrough providing fluid communication between theinterior and the exterior of said housing, a valve member shiftablebetween first and second positions to respectively open and close saidhousing opening to fluid flow therethrough, a passageway through saidvalve member providing communication between the opposite ends of saidhousing, a wire line flow controlling valve landable in said housing andhaving inlet and outlet ports and a valve mechanism for controlling flowthrough said ports, and means providing a fluid passage between saidhousing opening, with the valve member in said first position, and oneof said ports and constraining flow of fluid through said housingopening to also be through said one of said ports, said passage in thelast said means being separate from said passageway through said valvemember.

2. An apparatus adapted for wire line operation and for use incontrolling flow of fluid into or out of a well conduit which comprises,in combination, a mandrel body adapted to be connected as a part of thewell conduit and having a wall with an opening therethrough providingfluid communication between the interior and exterior of the mandrelbody, a crossover device having a first fluid passageway providingcommunication be tween the interior and the exterior of said device anda flow blocking portion adapted when disposed across said mandrel bodyopening to block flow therethrough, said device being shiftable in saidmandrel body between a first position at which said first passageway isin fluid communication with said mandrel body opening and a secondposition at which said flow blocking portion is disposed across saidmandrel body openin' a second passageway in said device separate fromthe first passageway and providing communication between opposite endsof said mandrel body, a wire line flow controlling valve insertable intosaid device to control flow into and out of said conduit through saidfirst passageway and said mandrel body opening with the device in saidfirst position, and means for shifting said device between said firstand second positions.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said crossover device includes aninner and an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve being mounted within saidouter sleeve to provide an annular passage therebetween constitutingsaid second passageway, a part joining said sleeves and having at leasta portion of said first passageway therein, said outer sleeve having animperforate section providing said flow blocking portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said crossover device has alongitudinal bore therethrough, said flow controlling valve beinginsertable into and movable entirely through said bore so that such flowcontrolling valve can be passed into one end of the mandrel and out theother, and selectively operable means for restraining movement of saidflow controlling valve out of said bore.

5. An apparatus adapted for wire line operation and for use incontrolling flow of fluid into or out of a well conduit which comprises,in combination, a mandrel assembly adapted to be connected as a part ofthe well conduit and including a mandrel body having a wall withvanopening therethrough providing fluid communication between the interiorand the exterior of said mandrel body, said assembly also including acrossover sleeve having a first passageway providing communicationbetween the interior and the exterior of the sleeve and including animperforate portion adapted when placed across said mandrel body openingto limit flow therethrough, said sleeve being shiftable in said mandrelbody between a first position at which said first passageway is incommunication with said mandrel body opening and a second position atwhich said imperforate portion is disposed across said mandrel bodyopening, a longitudinally disposed second passageway through said sleeveseparate from said first passageway and providing fluid communicationbetween opposite ends of said mandrel body, a wire line flow controllingvalve landable in said sleeve to control flow through said firstpassageway, and releasably engageable means between said flowcontrolling valve and said mandrel assembly for releasably retainingsaid flow controlling valve in landed position in said sleeve.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said releasably engaging meansinclude parts respectively carried by said flow control valve and bysaid sleeve, said parts being engageable to limit movement of the flowcontrol valve relative to the sleeve whereby shifting of the sleevebetween its first and second positions can be accomplished by movingsaid flow control valve relative to said mandrel body.

7. An apparatus adapted for wire line operation and for use incontrolling flow of 'fluid into or out of a well conduit whichcomprises, in combination, a mandrel.

body adapted to be connected as a part of said well conduit and having awell, a sleeve mounted in said mandrel body for shifting between a firstand a second position, a first passageway extending from the exterior ofsaid mandrel body through the mandrel body wall and the sleeve into theinterior of the sleeve, saidfirst pas- 5 sageway' having a portioninsaidmandrelbody wall and another portion in said sleeve. so that shifting ofthe sleeve to its first positionplaces; said passagewayportions inregister and shifting of thesleeve to its second position places theportions out of register to block flow through the first'passageway, asecond passageway separate from the first and extending longitudinallythrough the sleeve to provide fluid communication between the oppositeends of the mandrel body, receiving means in the mandrel body, saidsleeve and receiving means providing a con tral longitudinal boretherethrough, a wire line flow control valve with a housing of such sizethe valve can be passed into and entirely through said central bore, andmeans carried by the valve to releasablyand selectively engage saidreceiving means to retain the valve in landed positionrin saidfsleeve'when desired and to permit the valve to pass entirely throughtheflsleeve when desired, said valve when landed in the sleevecontrolling flow through said first passageway.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said receiving means are carried bythe sleeve and are shiftable therewith whereby upon landing the valve insaid sleeve, the valve can be manipulated to shift said sleeve.

9. An apparatus adapted for wire line operation and for use incontrolling flow of fluid into or out of a well conduit which comprises,in combination, a mandrel body adapted to be made up of the part of saidconduit and having a wall with a port therein providing fluidcommunication between the interior and exterior of the mandrel body, asleeve slidably mounted in said mandrel body and having a port disposedintermediate its ends and extending laterally of the longitudinal axisof the sleeve, said sleeve having an imperforate portion spaced from thesleeve port and also being shiftable between first and second positions,respectively, to place said sleeve and mandrel ports in fluidcommunication and to position said imperforate portion across themandrel port, a longitudinal fluid passageway in said sleeve providingfluid communication between the opposite ends of the mandrel body andseparate from said sleeve port, receiving means carried by said sleeve,said sleeve and receiving means providing a central longitudinal boretherethrough, a wire line gas lift valve having a housing smaller incross section than that of said bore so that the valve is insertableinto and movable entirely through said bore, first and second partscarried by the receiving means and said valve for releasable mutualengagement to respectively limit longitudinal movement of the valve inopposite directions with respect to said sleeve, and means formaintaining said second parts out of said mutual engagement until saidfirst parts have been mutually engaged.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first and second partscomprise respectively first and second dogs carried by the valve andfirst and second oppositely facing shoulders on said receiving means,said dogs being respectively engaged with said shoulders upon landingthe valve in said sleeve, and means for releasing engagement of thefirst dog with the first shoulder upon movement of the valve in adirectionopposite to that which it was inserted into the sleeve.

ll. As a subcombination, a flow control and landing apparatus suit-ablefor removably receiving a wire line flow control valve therein tocontrol flow into or out of a well conduit, which comprises, incombination, a mandrel body adapted to be connected as a part of thewell conduit and having a wall with an opening therethrough providingfluid communication between the interior and exterior of the mandrelbody, a crossover device having a first fluid passageway providingcommunication between the interior and the exterior of said device and aflow blocking portion adapted when placed across said mandrel bodyopening to block flow therethrough, said 12 communication withrsaidmandrel body opening and a secondepositionnat.whichsaid flow blockingportion is disposed across saidmandrel body opening, a second passagewayin said device separate from the first passage- 7 way and. providingcommunication between the opposite ends of said, mandrel body, saidcrossover device having a central bore therethrough adapted to receiveand pass therethrough a wire line flow control valve, and parts in saidmandrel body adapted to releasably engage other parts on said valve whenthe latter is inserted in said device to limit movement of the valvewith respect to said device.

12. As a subcombination, a flow control and landing apparatus suitablefor removably receiving a wire line flow control valve therein tocontrol flow into or out of a well conduit, which comprises, incombination, a housing adapted to be connected as a part of the wellconduit and having a wall with an opening therethrough providing fluidcommunication between the interior and exterior of the housing, a valvemember in said housing shiftable between .first and second positions torespectively open and close said housing opening to fluid flowtherethrough, a passageway through said valve member providingcommunication between the opposite ends of said housing, .said valvemember providing a longitudinal central bore therethrough adapted toreceive and pass therethrough a wire line flow control valve, meansproviding a fluid passage between said housing opening, with the valvemember in said first position, and said bore in said valve memberwhereby a port in a flow control valve landed in said housing can beplaced in fluid communication with said fluid passage to control flowtherethrough, and parts in said housing adapted to releasably engageother parts on the flow control valve when the latter is inserted insaid bore to limit movement of the valve with respect to the housing.

13. As a subcombination, a flow control and landing apparatus suitablefor removably receiving a wire line flow control valve therein tocontrol flow into or out of a well conduit which comprises, incombination, a man drel body adapted to be made up as a part of saidconduit and having a wall with a port therein providing fluidcommunication between the interior and the exterior of the mandrel body,a sleeve slidably mounted in said mandrel body and having a portdisposed intermediate its ends and extending laterally of thelongitudinal axis of the sleeve, said sleeve having an imperforateportion,

spaced from the sleeveport and also being shiftable between first andsecond positions respectively to place said sleeve and mandrel polts influid communication and to position said irnperforate portion across themandrel port, a longitudinal fluid passageway in said sleeve separatefrom said sleeve 'port and providing fluid communication between theopposite ends of the mandrel body, receiving means carried by saidsleeve, said sleeve and receiving means providing a central longitudinalbore therethrough into and through which a wire line flow control valvecan be passed, and parts carried by said receiving means for releasablemutual engagement with parts carried by a flow control valve inserted insaid bore to limit longitudinal movement of the valve in oppositedirections in said sleeve.

14. An apparatus adapted for wire line operation and for use incontrolling flow of fluid into or out of a well conduit which comprises,in combination: a mandrel assembly adapted to be made up as a part ofthe well conduit and including a mandrel body with a wall having anopening therethrough providing fluid communication between the interiorand exterior of said mandrel body, a valve member in said mandrel bodyshiftable between first and second positions to respectively open andclose said mandrel body opening to fluid flow therethrough, apassagewaythrough said valve member providing communication betweenopposite ends of said mandrel body; a wire line flowcontrol valvelaudable in said mandrel 13* assembly and having inlet and outlet portsand a'valv' mechanism for controlling flow through said 'port's; meansproviding a fluid passage between said mandrel opening, with the valvemember in its first position, and one of said ports and constrainingflow through the mandrel opening to be through said one of said ports;and latching means for selectively allowing the flow control valve to bepassed through said mandrel assembly and releasably securing said flowcontrol valve thereinincluding first and second elements carried by oneof and extensible to latch with the other of said mandrel assembly andsaid flow control valve to limit longitudinal movement of the flowcontrol valve in either direction relative to said mandrel assembly,retainer means holding said first element in retracted position andmovable to release the first element so that it can extend to latchingposition, and a force transmitting connection between said secondelement and said retainer means to move the latter to release the firstelement upon a force being applied to the second element.

15. An apparatus adapted for wire line operation and for use incontrolling flow of fluid into or out of a well conduit which comprises,in combination: a mandrel assembly adapted to be made up as a part ofthe well conduit and including a mandrel body with a port providingcommunication between the interior and exterior of the mandrel body, avalve member shiftable in said body to open and close said port, saidmandrel body and "alve member providing a longitudinal boretherethrou-gh; a wire line flow control valve having a cross-sectionalconfiguration such that the control valve can be passed into andentirely through said bore; and latching means for selectively allowingthe control valve to pass through said bore when desired and releasablysecuring said control valve in the mandrel assembly when desiredincluding first and second parts movable relative to each other, firstand second extensible and retractable elements respec tively carried bysaid first and second parts, a retainer carried by said second part andholding said first element retracted when said first and second partsare in a first position relative to each other and releasing said firstelement when said first and second parts are moved to a second position,third and fourth elements respectively engageable with said first andsecond elements when the latter are extended with the first and thirdelements being disposed to limit movement of the flow valve in onelongitudinal direction relative to the mandrel assembly and the secondand fourth elements disposed to limit movement in'the other direction.

16. An apparatus adapted for wire line operation and for use incontrolling flow of fluid into or out of a well conduit which comprises,in combination: a mandrel assembly adapted to be made up as a part ofthe well conduit and including a mandrel body with a port providingcommunication between the interior and exterior of the mandrel body, avalve member shiftable in said body to open and close said port, saidmandrel body and valve member providing a longitudinal boretherethrough; a wire line flow control valve having a cross-sectionalconfiguration such that the control valve can be passed into andentirely through said bore; and latching means for selectively allowingthe control valve to pass through said bore when desired and releasablysecuring said control valve in the mandrel assembly when desiredincluding first and second parts carried by the control valve andmovable between first and second positions relative to each other, firstand second dogs carried respectively by said first and second parts andhaving oppositely fiacing abutment surfaces, each dog being movableoutwardly to latching position, a retainer carried by said second partand holding I said first dog in retracted position with said pants intheir first position and releasing said first dog when said parts aremoved to their second position, said mandrel assembly having oppositelyfacing abutment surfaces disposed for engagement with the respectiveabutment surfaces of said dogs when'the latter are lattihing position,and

means for retracting said second dog:

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said retracting means comprises ashear pin connecting said second dog i to said second part.

18. An apparatus adapted for 'wire line operation and for use incontnolling flow of fluid into or out of a well conduit which comprises,in combination: a mandrel assembly adapted to be made up as a part ofthe well conduit and including a mandrel body wtih a port providingcommunication between the interior and exterior of the mandrel body, avalve member shiftable in said body to \open and close said port, saidmandrel body and valve member providing a longitudinal borethcrethrough; awire line flow control valve having a cross-sectionalconfiguration such that the control valve can be passed into andentirely through said bore; and latching means for selectively allowingthe control valve to pass through said bore when desired and releasablysecuring said control valve in the mandrel assembly when desiredincluding a first pait carried by the control valve, a second parttelescopically connected to the first part for movement relative to thefirst from a first position to a second, extensible and retractablefirst and second dogs respectively .pivotally connected to said firstand second parts and having opposing endwise abutment surfaces, aretainer carried by the second part holding the first dog in retractedposition with said second part in its first position and releasing thefirst dog for movement to extended position when said second part ismoved to its second position,

first and second opposing shoulders carried by said valve Y member forrespectively engagement with said dogs when the latter are extended, theabutment surface :of the second d'og facing upwardly and in thedirection from which thecontrol valve is first passed into the mandrelassembly whereby upon engagement of the second dog and second shoulder,an upward pull on the control valve moves said valve is landed in amandrel made up as a part of a well conduit, the improved latchingmechanism for releasably securing the valve in landed position in themandrel which comprises first and second clogs pivotally carried by thecontrol valve and biased laterally outwardly of the valve so as to beurged from retracted to extended position, said dogs having opposingendwise abutment surfaces, opposing first and second abutment surfaceson the mandrel for respective engagement with said endwise dog surfaceswhen the dogs are extended, a retaining part holding said first doginretracted position and movable to release the first dog, a forcetransmitting connection between said second dog and said retaining partfor moving the latter to release the first dog upon a force beingexerted on the control valve to urge the second dog into tighterengtagement with said second abutment surface on the mandrel, and meansfor retracting said second dog.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said second dog is free to moveoutwardly while the control valve is being inserted in the mandrel andhas its abutment surfiace facing in the direction from which the controlvalve is so inserted and wherein said retracting means comprises a shearpin pivotally connecting the second dog to the control valve, the shearpin being of such size as to require a greater force to be exerted onthe control valve to shear the pin than is required to move saidretainer part whereby a first upward pull on the control valve releasesthe first dog and a second upward pull of greater magnitude than thefirst pull retracts the second dog.

22. In a well system: a well tubing in the well; packing.meanslbetweenthe tubing. and .the wall of the well; .a plurality ofmandrel assemblies spaced ,alongthe tubing, eaph ,mandrel. assemblycomprising a mandrel body made up as a part of saidtubing, a cross-overdevice in the mandrel body and having a first flow passageway thereincommunicating between the ends of the mandrel body, said device having abore therethrough, a separate second flow passageway. between theexterior of the mandrel body and the interior of .said device with aportion of the second passageway being in said device and a portioninthelwall of the mandrel body, said device being shiftable to a firstposition to place said second passageway portions .in register and to asecond position to place assemblies and releasable to latching positionupon a force being applied to urge the control valve to move in anopposite direction through said bores.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said cross-over devices are sleevesand wherein said latching means when in latching position establishes aconnection between the control valve and the one of said sleeves inwhich the control'valve is to'be landed whereby movement of said controlvalve also moves such sleeve toplace said passageway portions in and outof register. i

241 The system of claim 23 wherein said latching means includes opposingdogs carried by the control valve and movable outwardly thereof toextended position, means biasing the dogs to extended position, aretainer part holding one dog having a downwardly facing endwiseabutment surface in retracted position and movable to release said onedog, a connection between the other dog and said retainer part to movethe latter to release said one dog upon engagement of said other dogwith an opposing surface, endwise opposing shoulders on said sleeve forengagement with said dogs, and means for retracting said'other dog.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said retracting means includes aconnection between said other dog and said control valve releasableresponsive to an upward forceexerted on the control valve of greatermagnitude than that required to cause said other dog to move saidretainer part to release said one dog.

26. An apparatus adapted for wire line operation and for use incontrolling flow of fluid into or out of a well conduit which comprises,in combination, a housing 16; adaptedrtoube :connect'ed asvas part ofthe well conduit andi'haying' a wall with anxopening therethroughproviding fluidcommunication between the interior and exterior of=the;housing,. aavalve'member movable between first eandrsecon'd positionsto open and close said housing opening to fluid flow therethrough, awire line flow controlling valve laudable in said housing andhavinginlet and outlet p or.ts, .and a, valvemechanism .for controlling flowthroughlsaid ports, me ans providing a fluid passage be- ,tween saidhousing;opening, with the valve member in 'thedast said means and providing for flow of fluid from oneend of said housing to the other end tothereby constitute apart otthe flow passage through said conduit.

27 Ihe apparatus of claim 26 wherein said passagewayis defined byportions of said valve member.

28. In a well apparatus, a well conduit having a wall an openingtherethrough to provide fluid communication between the interior andexterior of the conduit; a sleeve valve shiftable with respect to theconduit to open and close said opening when in first and secondpositions respectively; a wire line mechanism including a flow controlvalve laudable in said conduit and upon moving the sleeve valve to itsfirst position, controlling flow through said opening; and a flowpassageway interiorly of said sleeve valve and constituting a portion ofthe flow passage through said conduit.

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